The present invention relates to a fixed constant velocity joint. The joint includes a hollow outer part having an inner face provided with outer running grooves which extend in meridian planes with reference to the longitudinal axis of the outer part. Also, the joint includes an inner part arranged in the cavity of the outer part. The inner part has an outer face provided with inner running grooves which extend in meridian planes with reference to the longitudinal axis of the inner part and which are arranged opposite the outer running grooves. The opposed inner running grooves and outer running grooves jointly receive torque transmitting balls. The balls are guided in windows of a cage arranged in the space between the inner face of the outer part and the outer face of the inner part. The inner running grooves and the outer running grooves are designed to be jaw-like and undercut-free starting from the closed end of the assembled joint. Also, the cage includes a partial spherical face which is guided on an outer spherical face of the inner part which faces away from the closed end. Further, the joint includes a guiding mechanism. The guiding mechanism includes a first spherical guiding face on the inner part and a corresponding second guiding face on a guiding element which is connected to the outer part and supported on a separate supporting element. The centers of the guiding faces, together with the center of the outer spherical face, are centered on the joint articulation center.
Relevant art is shown in DE 37 39 867 C2, issued Mar. 8, 1990 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,206, issued Aug. 21, 1990). The outer face of the inner part is designed entirely as a spherical face in order to permit contact with a ball socket. The ball socket is produced as a separate component, e.g. separate from the outer part.
Centering of the cooperating parts in the radial direction, the inner part, cage and outer part, is effected via corresponding spherical faces of the inner part, cage and outer part. The inner part spherical face cooperates with a partial spherical partial face of the cage. The spherical outer face of the cage is guided on a partial spherical face of the outer part. The disadvantage of this design is that two centering operations are adjusted to one another to achieve centering in the radial direction. On the one hand, centering takes place via the outer spherical face of the inner part relative to the separate supporting element and on the other hand via the cooperating spherical faces of the inner part, cage and outer part. The outer spherical face of the inner part extends over more than 180.degree. and therefore requires subsequent machining because accurate production of the outer spherical face by precision forming, to finish dimensions, is achieved by sophisticated equipment at higher costs.